Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt/M., New York, Oxford, Wien.

Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt/M., New York, Wien, 1999.

This volume summarises the academic work accomplished at the 6th International Security Forum (ISF), convened by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces from 4 to 6 October 2004 at the Montreux Convention Centre, Switzerland. It presents a thematic overview of 150 presentations given at the 6th ISF, either as full-length keynote speeches in the two plenary sessions or in the form of summaries of all speeches given in the six topic sessions and the 24 workshops. The topics discussed respond to the complex new challenges of the post Cold War world with an integrated, multilateral and interdisciplinary approach. The experts contributing to the success of the ISF covered, among other issues, the need for UN Reform, EU and NATO enlargement, Human Security and International Humanitarian Law, the global War on Terror, the role of Private Military Companies, Combating Violence against Women and Children and Security Sector Governance.

This book addresses the experience with international peace support operations in the 1990s and the lessons to be drawn. Renowned international experts analyze, from an academic or practitioner's view, the key changes that occurred after the end of the Cold War. They discuss international cooperation in peace support operations including civilian and military aspects.

In the post-Cold War era, peace support operations have become an essential instrument for the international community in reacting to crises and stabilizing conflict areas. At the same time, peacekeeping has undergone a fundamental transformation. This conceptual evolution is still under way. In order to improve the international response in future contingencies, it is important to debate the lessons learned.

This book presents different points of view and focuses mainly on the following questions: How has the new conflict environment changed the character of peace support operations? What lessons can be drawn as far as international cooperation is concerned? And how should the various actors cooperate in order to meet these new requirements?